5-Androstene-3ß,7ß,17ß-triol (ß-AET) slows thermal injury induced osteopenia in mice: relation to aging and osteoporosis.

5-Androstene-3ß,7ß,17ß-triol (ß-AET), an active metabolite of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), reversed glucocorticoid (GC)-induced suppression of IL-6, IL-8 and osteoprotegerin production by human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells and promoted osteoblast differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In a murine thermal injury model that includes glucocorticoid-induced osteopenia, ß-AET significantly (p<0.05) preserved bone mineral content, restored whole body bone mineral content and endochondral growth, suggesting reversal of GC-mediated decreases in chondrocyte proliferation, maturation and osteogenesis in the growth plate. In men and women, levels of ß-AET decline with age, consistent with a role for ß-AET relevant to diseases associated with aging. ß-AET, related compounds or synthetic derivatives may be part of effective therapeutic strategies to accelerate tissue regeneration and prevent or treat diseases associated with aging such as osteoporosis.